Armando de Lacerda was one of the most gifted and most famous experimental phoneticians of his time. His 'Laboratório de Fonética Experimental da Faculdade de Letras de Coimbra' attracted many scholars from all over the world who used the resources at the lab for their own studies. Lacerda also travelled extensively, sharing his expertise with experimental phoneticians all over Europe. This contribution focuses on Lacerda’s ties to Germany and to the phonetics institute at the University of Bonn specifically. A name figuring prominently in this context is that of Paul Menzerath, then head of the Bonn phonetics lab. Not only did the two co-author one of the most famous and widely cited monographs in phonetics – they collaborated extensively for a number of years. Not much is known about Menzerath as a person or about the exact nature of their working relationship, but it seems as if Menzerath was much more of a beneficiary of their collaboration than was acknowledged at the time. Following some biographical remarks on Menzerath, the nature of their collaborative work is explored. Menzerath’s achievements are then discussed from the perspective of modern phonetics. There are indications that Lacerda may not have always received the recognition which he deserved for his ingenuity.